


I Saw The Signs

by NerdyKat



Series: I'll Meet You Here with Words on my Skin and Love in my Heart [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, American Sign Language, Deaf Character, Deaf Clint Barton, F/F, Multi, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 00:24:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16106867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyKat/pseuds/NerdyKat
Summary: Skye has been deaf all her life. Though orphaned, she grew up in a residential state school for the deaf, then went on to Gallaudet University. She works out of her van, creating websites freelance, while searching for her parents on the side. The moment she was kidnapped by SHIELD changed everything.





	I Saw The Signs

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I’m Hard of Hearing, not Deaf, so whatever experiences may be somewhat skewed as an HoH experience and not a Deaf experience. If anything is incorrect, I sincerely apologize and if you leave me a notification, I'll immediately correct it.

Skye was working in her van when she felt the van door open based on the light exposure and the smell of fresh air. But before she could even turn, to see who it was, someone had put a bag over her head. She squawked loudly, fighting against whoever had grabbed her, panicked. Her hands were restrained and she tried to repeatedly tell them she was deaf, but speech had never really been her strong suit. 

It was dark. Having no sound and no sight, she wanted to cry, but she tried to center herself. She tried to concentrate on the two senses she had left, with her hands tied behind her back. Feel and smell were all she had. The van she was in was vibrating. Obviously they were driving on pavement but that didn’t help her any. She cried out when someone grabbed her arm without warning. She stumbled when her foot hit the ramp, but the rough hand hauled her up, half-dragging her though… somewhere with a huge engine… and into a chair. Her hands were quickly secured to the table. She resisted but was easily overpowered, squawking in protest. That’s when the bag was removed.

Two men were talking to her. Yelling at her. She’d never learned to read lips, and hated speaking. She avoided eye contact, staring down at the floor. She felt the vibration as the younger agent slammed his palm on the table, causing her to jump. She scowled. The older one left and a woman came in. She was pulled to her feet and patted down. She had nothing on her except for the ID of the Hooded Hero. Then she was left alone. Hours passed with her hands chained to the table. She wasn’t given a bathroom break or anything to eat or drink. Then two new agents came in and dragged her to her feet. Another bag was put over her head and before she knew it, she was being shoved into a cell. 

Her hands were finally freed, but she had no idea what was happening. They hadn’t given her so much as a scrap of paper. Her cell had a toilet in it and a bed, but that was it. She sat on her bed with her back to the wall, and waited for someone to come and try to talk to her again. 

Eventually, she laid down facing the hallway. She was surprised when, two meals later, she saw two people signing to each other. One of them signed to the other an old joke about a deaf tree that made Skye snort. The male agent who’d been signing the joke jumped, turned and stared at her. 

‘Old joke’, Skye signed. 

The agent said something to his female partner and she took off to go… somewhere. 

‘You deaf?’ the man signed to her.

‘Yup!’ Skye answered. ‘Always have been, far as I know. You?’

‘I am. My name is Clint.’

‘I’m Skye,’ she said. She started to cry. ‘Sorry… sorry… I just don’t know what’s going on. I was kidnapped out of my house with a black bag over my head and no one has explained anything to me. I never learned to read lips or speak because I never felt like I needed to.’

‘Where’d you go to school?’ Clint asked.

‘New York State School for the Deaf, then Gallaudet. I majored in Information Studies and minored in Graphic Design. I design websites for people, freelance.’

‘What’d you do to land in here? Hack SHIELD?’

Skye shrugged. ‘It’s my file. I feel like I have the right to it.’

Suddenly a tall, Black man with an eye patch and in a trench coat came down and Clint started yelling at him, from the changes in his face. Skye was a bit confused about what was happening until the electric fence that was confining her in the cell was brought down.

‘This is Director Fury,’ Clint signed while speaking. ‘I’m going to translate for him.’ Clint paused and the director started speaking. Skye answered his questions as best as she could, explaining her finding out about Project Centipede and investigating it, finding that Mike Peterson was somehow connected to it and that there had been an argument just before the explosion of the building in LA. She learned that she was in Central America and was offered a job with SHIELD back in DC.

‘I’d rather just have my file,’ Skye requested.

‘Why do you want your file?’ Clint translated.

Skye pulled a face. ‘I was dropped off at an orphanage in New York with only a SHIELD report to my name. I grew up largely at the residential school, but every time everyone got to go home to their families, I had nowhere to go. I just want to know who my parents are, or if not that, why I grew up alone.’ She gritted her teeth and refused to cry, but that didn’t stop the tears from starting to slip down her cheeks. Clint rushed forward and embraced her. She broke into sob, and it was like a pressurized valve releasing.

Clint was talking. Skye could tell from the vibrations emitting from his throat. ‘Do you want to come with me?’ Skye nodded. She didn’t know why, but she trusted him.

It wasn’t nearly as easy as Clint made it seem. When they landed at the Triskellion, Clint first led her to a small room where she was questioned by a no-nonsense woman for a couple of hours. After she was apparently cleared, she was immediately sent to medical. The second Skye spotted the stretchers, she dug her heels in, panicking. 'No,' she signed as Clint continued forward without realizing she’d stopped. The day had been too long, and she had been pushed past her limits. He turned and stared at her in shock. 'No. No.'

She collapsed in a panic, flashing back to being a young child and having procedure after procedure done to her. She collapsed on the floor, panicking. Clint went with her, pulling her into his lap and wrapping her in his arms. Her ear was on his throat, as he hummed. It was soothing. She calmed down. They separated and Skye saw they were surrounded by a medical team. Clint quickly explained that they  _ had _ to look her over, but they were willing to sedate her, given Skye’s reaction. Skye refused, shaking her head vigorously.

They settled on a muscle relaxant and anti-anxiety medication. Clint held her hand the entire way. The first thing they did was give her a general exam. Skye went stiff as the doctor gave his physical exam. She gently applied cream on the rope burns on Skye’s wrists. She then marked down her soulmark, and stated Skye had the option of updating her bond status once it had been completed. The doctor asked if she had any aches or pains and Skye explained she had twisted her ankle when she’d been black bagged. The doctor pulled up Skye’s sweatpant leg and Skye was surprised at the purpling around the ankle. The doctor then ordered x-rays of the ankle and blood tests, mostly to investigate Skye’s state. 

Despite the medication starting to kick in, Skye still leaned into Clint as they took her blood. On the X-Ray, the doctor saw something she wasn’t expecting. Skye was half asleep, so the doctor simply ordered more tests. When she woke up again, a team of doctors were talking to Clint, looking grim. 

'What’s wrong?' Skye queried once she managed to get Clint’s attention.

Clint frowned. 'Skye…' Clint started. 'Were you… How did you grow up?'

Skye blushed. 'I’m an orphan,' she admitted.

Clint sighed. 'Foster care?' he asked. Skye nodded slowly, wondering where this was going.

'The doctors found signs of abuse - multiple broken bones and such, and you’re malnourished and have signs of a UTI and the beginnings of bacterial pneumonia. You won’t have to stay here, but you’re going to have a couple weeks of rest before anyone wants you working.'

'Can I leave now?' Skye asked.

'They’re getting your paperwork together, and they want to go over your options as far as hearing aids go. They’d have to do further tests, but they think they can improve the hearing aid so you can hear ambient sounds better.'

Skye nodded, closing her eyes because she felt dizzy. And nauseous. Suddenly she sat up, throwing up all over the floor. Clint held her and her hair, supporting her weight. 

By the time she was cleared, Clint was holding a copy of the nutritional plan that food services would adhere to for her, several pills she had to take for the time being, and several surgical options that were now open to her. Having no memory of sound, Skye had adamantly nixed the idea of a cochlear implant, but there apparently were several types of hearing aids that could improve her hearing which she was open to.

The doctors estimated that she’d probably be able to hear loud noises like sirens clearly once everything was done, but that was it. Skye wasn’t bothered. She didn’t remember hearing noises like everyone else did anyway. As it was, she could hear alarms, but to a much lesser degree than what she assumed hearing people could hear them, based on how they shouted over the noise. She was perfectly happy without noise. 

Skye was also a little surprised that instead of the shoe-box quarters Fury had initially described all new-hires got. 

‘Where are we?’ Skye asked curiously.

‘Medical wanted someone to watch over you since you have pneumonia. They’re hoping you won’t need antibiotics,’ Clint explained.

‘I don’t need a babysitter,’ Skye pouted.

‘That’s good, because I’m not one.’ Clint unlocked his door and handed Skye his spare key, which was just a fob, on a keychain. 

Skye followed Clint inside. It was obvious Clint had lived there a long time. There was a very comfortable-looking couch and a giant television in the living room to one side of the door. Huge, soft cushions provided additional seating. On the other side was a fancy-looking kitchen with an island and multiple small appliances along the counter.

'I like to cook,' Clint explained. Skye stared, saying nothing. Across from the door was a tiny dining area that wasn’t really worth exploring so Clint led Skye through to the two bedrooms and shared bathroom. Clint’s bedroom was decorated while Skye’s was rather plain.

‘If you want anything or need anything, just let me know and we’ll order it,’ Clint offered. 'The entire apartment is already outfitted with a visual doorbell, all the phones have TTY, the TV has face to face chat integrated with it, and our alarm clocks are vibration-based, under the mattress.'

It might have been the drugs she’d been given in medical, but Skye started to feel pretty overwhelmed by everything. She wound up dozing on one end of the couch while Clint watched an episode of  _ Dog Cops _ . Even the TV was set up for deaf people, the sound was on mute automatically and the closed captioning was turned on. About halfway into the episode, Skye noticed that the captions were far more accurate than the ones that existed for the rest of the world.

'It’s a new system they’re testing. Basically programming might get subtitles. It’s built into the program so there’s no delay,' Clint explained. It seemed that all the little things had been thought of for her comfort.

She stayed on the couch for a week. Clint mostly hung around, giving her pills with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and helping her learn the rules and regulations that came with working for SHIELD. She wasn’t overly thrilled about the rules, but Clint laughed and shared that he felt the same way most of the time.

Her appreciation, however, stopped when they went to breakfast the first morning she was allowed outside the apartment. They were still making her drink an ensure as well as eat some kind of vitamin-fortified oatmeal  _ and _ a fruit salad. It was more food than Skye had seen since high school lunches. Clint explained that finishing her tray was the goal, but if she needed to stop, it was okay to do so. Afterwards, Skye ate and drank with minimal protest. It was good food. Better than she’d ever had. She supposed being required to eat certain things wasn’t so bad. 

About halfway through the meal, someone else joined their table. Skye’s eyes bugged out when she realized it was Captain America - Saint Steven of Brooklyn. It brought her back to being brought up at St. Agnes’. The other kids would tease her for being deaf, calling her ‘deaf and dumb.’ The only reason she knew is that she was friends with Matt Murdock, the blind kid at St. Agnes’. Her saving grace was an old, worn Saint Steven card, thinking that if Steve could stand up to bullies, so could she.

Adults she never had a problem standing up to. Her so-called elders and betters, she was constantly fighting. It was people her age she had problems standing up to. 

She jumped when she realized that Steve had asked her a question. ‘Sorry what?’ she signed.

Steve repeated the question, surprising Skye by signing himself. ‘How are you liking SHIELD?’ Steve blushed and continued. ‘I’m good with languages. I knew a little ASL back in the 40s, and Clint taught me more.’

'SHIELD’s okay,’ she responded, a little homesick for her van. She could practically feel people staring at her. 'It’s different than what I’m used to.'

'Both of us in the same boat. We should stick together,' Steve answered. Skye smiled a little and nodded in agreement. ‘I know you’ve been sick for a little while. Are you feeling better?’

‘I’m a little tired,’ Skye admitted. ‘But it’s good to be out.’

‘I have a small art studio set up in my quarters if you’d like to come hang out,’ Steve offered. He suddenly blushed. ‘I mean, just as friends.’

Skye laughed, causing a couple people near her to startle at the noise. ‘Sure,’ she agreed. ‘Everyone can always use more friends.’

Steve taught Skye how draw and paint, and once she received a clean bill of health, he’d  take Skye out and show her the city. They toured the various presidential memorials and the entire Smithsonian institution. Skye knew that rumors were flying about her and Steve, Steve and the ‘mystery woman’, but both of them were just friends. Very good friends. Skye and Clint talked about it a lot. 

In exchange, Skye was teaching Steve about movies and connected him with Fitz, who had  _ opinions _ about how to learn about 70 years of musical progression. Skye was pretty much only into metal so hard she could feel it, which Steve tolerated while they were drawing or painting. Steve made it a point to have lunch with her or dinner whenever Clint was on a mission. They’d have movie nights, which included a running commentary as Skye expanded Steve’s ASL vocabulary. 

Steve and Nat were partnered up to go out since Clint had personally been assigned to investigate Skye’s case. Most nights he was in the apartment he shared with Skye, helping her acclimate to life at SHIELD, but there were other nights where he was off to destinations unknown to Skye, investigating what could have happened. Skye knew they were also having others watch her. Steve tried to make it a point to take Skye places in D.C. Nat usually liked to spend the evening inside, so Skye and Clint would let them turn on the volume on the TV and they’d watch movies. 

Meanwhile, on base, Skye was learning skills she never thought she’d have. Natasha was teaching her how to fight. Natasha was relentless, refusing to coddle her. Skye threw herself into it, wanting to prove that she could take care of herself. She figured it’d probably never come in handy, but it was better safe than sorry. 

Clint took her to the shooting range and Skye floored everyone by being a natural shot. With a few tips from Clint, Skye was making 500 yard shots without even thinking about it. An hour later, she was making 1000 yard bullseyes. Clint connected with her in ways that few people ever had. The small touches at the shooting range, the long hours cuddling watching movies - bets were supposedly already being placed on how long before a relationship started between them.

She was also learning how to speak and read lips, though both took a lot of effort and she seriously preferred that her colleagues either send her a message on the computer or sign to her. Most complied with her request without complaint. Some of them didn’t really like speaking anyway and found learning to sign both useful and a novel tool. After nearly a month of all of this, Skye caved and accepted the job offer that the director had extended to her. 

She knew she was gaining weight, what medical said was towards a better weight for her height, and she really liked her temporary position in the Comms department. For the first time in a long time, Skye felt like she was someplace where she was accepted. She couldn’t remember a time when she had felt that way, and it felt nice. It was getting harder and harder not to form an attachment to Clint though. Skye asked Nat about it once and Nat definitely answered that he wasn’t single. That didn’t stop Clint from giving her small touches of comfort when she awoke from a nightmare or was crying out of frustration because of how hard lip reading was. He was  _ there _ and that was more than she’d ever had. 

Skye was woke up very early one morning with Clint shaking her. 

‘Fury’s dead,’ Clint told her. ‘We have to run.’

Skye was practically dragged out of bed as Clint helped her pack a bag quickly. They ran silently through the fairly quiet residential halls. to Fury having been killed, and Nat and Steve declared wanted criminals. Skye had assumed that she’d still be going to her shift, but instead Clint had grabbed Skye and her van, disabled the GPS in it and started heading west. At first it seemed like he was driving aimlessly, but after awhile it was fairly obvious he was going somewhere specific. Clint explained that Natasha had messaged him that HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD and he decided to get Skye out of there.

Pulling up to a farm house, Skye saw a woman standing on the porch, whom Clint explained was his wife. Clint parked the truck, came around and helped Skye out, leading her to the porch. “Laura, this is Skye. Skye, this is Laura,” Clint said and signed. “Laura’s my wife.”

“Sorry for borrowing your husband for so long,” Skye said to Laura very cautiously, still unused to speaking. 

Laura’s eyes went wide as she glanced at Clint who burst out laughing. Skye wondered if she’d said it wrong. “For my soulmate,” Laura said and signed. “I’m willing to share.”

Skye’s eyes grew wide at her soulwords, her knees buckling, and her soulmate immediately drew Skye into her arms. And Skye realized that, after her long struggle to get here, she was home. Laura practically half-dragged Skye into the house. She was stunned to find two small children eating breakfast.

“Kids,” Laura said and signed to the two kids who had been eating waffles in the kitchen. “Guess who I just met?” The kids both looked up and peered at her. Cooper and Lila were obviously curious about who Skye was. “Clint’s friend from work that he told us about? She’s my soulmate.”

To Skye’s surprise, the kids eyes widened in recognition. Apparently Clint and Laura had always been open with the kids about the fact that Laura had a soulmark and what would happen if they ever found them. The young girl wriggled out of her seat. 

'Hi,' Lila signed. 'I’m Lila.' The little girl adorably spelled out her name, then provided her name sign.

'Hi,' Skye responded, slightly stunned.

The eldest, a boy, was slower. 'I’m Cooper,' he signed hesitantly. 'Are you going to take away my mommy?'

'What?' Skye asked, shocked. 'No! I’d never!' 

Clint and Laura were quick to assure their kids that no one was going anywhere. Laura ended up pinkie promising Lila and solemnly promising to Cooper that she _was_ _not_ leaving. 

Skye finally knelt down to their level. 'I… I never had a mommy, or a daddy. I’d never want to take away someone else’s mommy or daddy…'

'You didn’t have a mommy or daddy?' Cooper asked. 'Were you in foster care?'

Obviously, Cooper was old enough to know about foster care, and Skye nodded. 'I promise I will never take away your mommy or daddy,' Skye promised, signing with as much intent as she could.

Cooper seemed to take this more seriously than anything else. He nodded and Skye smiled supportively, watching him lead Lila off to play.

Clint, Skye, and Laura retired to the couch, where Skye explained her back story and her search for her parents. Both of them enveloped her in their embrace as she cried. She cried for her past, and her fear for Steve, but also being utterly overwhelmed by feeling forcibly loved for the first time in her life. She couldn’t ignore it with Laura. The soulbond made it undeniable. She realized all the little things Steve and Natasha had done over the last year had been out of love. And Clint. She realized how much Clint loved her. 

That afternoon, they watched the live news coverage of the Insight helicarriers being brought down, and news commentators reacting to the news that HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD. Skye was tucked between Clint and Laura while the kids were off playing. She watched the news, worried about Nat and Steve. Skye knew Clint was going through something similar, with how he felt about Nat. She felt overwhelmed when she saw Steve falling from the helicarrier and she burrowed her face against Laura’s shoulder for comfort. Laura rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

Once they got the text from Nat that both of them had survived, the trio relaxed. Laura made dinner, while Skye perched on a stool, watching as Laura explained everything she was doing.  

In the evening, as Cooper read and Lila played with legos, the adults had their own evening activities, all of them cuddled on the couch. Laura kept signing to Skye all the dirty things they’d do to her once the kids had been put to bed. When Laura and Clint put Lila and Cooper to bed, Skye sat on Clint’s and Laura’s bed, suddenly second-guessing herself. Did she really belong here? Did she really deserve this? She hadn’t had anyone for so long. And now her soulmate came with a family that was impossible not to love. 

Deep in thought, she didn’t notice Clint and Laura come in and sit on each side of her. Laura placed a finger under Skye’s chin to turn her head towards Laura. Laura smiled at Skye. “Beautiful,” she signed, bending down and kissing her collarbone. Skye closed her eyes, trying to resist the thrum of the soulbond demanding completion. Clint’s hands skirted her shoulder blades, down her sides, and cupped her ass, sending shivers up Skye’s spine. Laura meanwhile, was sucking on Skye’s pulse point while Laura guided Skye’s hands to Laura’s breasts. Her shirt still on, Laura unclasped Skye’s bra and tweaked a nipple. Skye gasped. Slowly, they wound Skye up and up and up until the thrum of the soulbond was so rapid it was one single long vibration. 

Laura and Clint apparently led a fairly active and kinky sex life. There were bolts on the bed tie applications and a very usual-looking chair that swung from the ceiling obviously could be changed out. Their bedroom was soundproofed of course, since Clint’s hearing was bad; beneficial, since so was Skye’s. They spent a good hour prepping themselves for bonding together, until Clint was up to his hilt at her front, and Laura was working her way to her hilt with a dildo in Skye’s ass. With a shock, their marks met and Laura and Skye both came. Clint, who had been holding onto control, followed not long after. Skye made a contented sound as they settled in the aftermath. Everything, she knew now, would be okay. 

———-

_ One year later _

When Clint messaged Skye and Laura that he was coming home and bringing the Avengers, Skye breathed a sigh of relief. Clint was safe. The past year had been challenging. Skye had gotten a service dog named Lucky once it became evident that one would be useful given the heavy farming equipment that existed around the property. Lucky used his sharp eyes and ears to help Skye not just around the farm, but in town. Some of the shop owners knew basic signs and Skye was slowly getting used to speaking. It helped that no one judged her and everyone was patient. 

Skye was also thankful that Clint had introduced her to the county sheriff and his deputies after she’d gotten lost and pulled over. Thankfully, they’d recognized her and communicated to her in writing before showing her the way home. Laura had gotten pregnant, then Skye had gained powers and got pregnant shortly after. Skye was so happy, it wasn’t hard to control the vibrations, but Gordon and Jiaying had still helped her for a week. They had wanted her to stay, but Skye missed her children. 

Upon finding out that Jiaying was Skye’s mother, Clint and Laura gladly welcomed the older woman to come for a visit any time. Steve and Nat had visited frequently, helping Skye gain control of her powers and learning how to fight.

Skye’s emotions were mixed that the Avengers were coming. While she was excited to see Steve and Nat again, Skye was unsure of how Tony, Thor or Bruce would react to her. Additionally, with this level of danger, she wanted to be in the action, but with her four months along, 

On the farm she’d been getting lessons in living on a farm. As her former black hat alias, Skyenet, she had started the early vetting process of working for Stark Industries and, in every free moment she had, searching for Bucky. She was surprised at how easily she’d fit into this life, as if she’d been waiting all her life to just slip into it, like a jigsaw piece. A perfect fit. 

The kids were playing in their rooms as she and Laura prepared the extra beds and food for their guests. Both kids called her Mama now, fully accepting her into the clan. Cooper especially connected with Skye, wanting to learn to code. Dinners were near silent, the family always signing at home so Skye wasn’t left out of conversations. Skye often was the one to help the kids with homework; Laura and Clint discovered that Skye had a knack for it.

Clint entered with the other Avengers, and Skye immediately glared at Tony over the debacle Ultron had become. 

“Guys,” Clint said and signed. “This is my wife, Laura, and her soulmate, my other wife, Skye.”

Rather than give Tony the opportunity to speak, Skye started in on him, while Clint automatically translated. 'Really Stark? Have you not seen any of the  Terminator movies? What did you think was going to happen, building an AI like that? People told you it wasn’t a good idea, but did you listen, no. You did what you wanted because you know everything, according to you.' 

Tony was gaping at her. Thor stepped forward. “Be at ease, my lady,” he said. Skye took several steps back, eyes wide. 

'I can hear him,' she signed to Clint both awed and confused, touching her head over and over. She hadn’t ever heard anything above ambient, muted sounds before and now she was hearing a single voice clear in her mind. It was unnerving. 'I can hear him.' 

“Of course you can hear me. ‘Tis the magic of Allspeak. You live without hearing, yes?” Skye nodded, shocked that she could hear another as if she’d thought it herself.

“Can we hit pause on talking with our hands?” Tony asked, Laura translating. “Two barefoot and pregnant wives? One wasn’t enough?”

Steve smacked Tony upside the head. “Tony,” Steve growled, his anger barely contained, signing as well

“What?” Tony asked, Laura translating, but looking annoyed. “You don’t want to know how you can’t land one woman, but second-rate Green Arrow got two with a fifth of the reputation and a sliver of the money?”

“Do not speak of ladies as such,” Thor growled. “They are deserving of our respect. Those in front of us are soulmates. There is much honor in sharing soulmates’ families.”

“My question is, how come Nat and Steve are acting like they know all this?” Bruce asked, Clint signing for him as Bruce watched quietly.

“We’ve been here before,” Steve asked as he interpreted for himself to finally give Laura a rest. 'Need a back rub later?' Steve added just for Skye’s and Laura’s benefits. Both nodded very slightly. Steve’s super strength back rubs were pretty amazing. 

Steve, who was markless, had actually come to the Farm so often that he’d been introduced to one of the women his age during the town’s fall festival. She was the oldest daughter of a milkman fifteen miles away, and he’d been courting her ever since. Skye and Laura had both figured he needed someone a little less modern and a little more old-fashioned than the women Natasha was setting him up with and later confessed to having something to do with it. 

“Skye can run tactical for us, when we go back up against Ultron,” Natasha added. Skye was happy that there was always someone signing for her.

“So I know Clint’s 80% deaf without hearing aids. Do you need hearing aid upgrades? Will that help?” Tony asked. 

Skye pulled a face. 'I’m completely deaf,' she signed getting angrier and angrier with each sign. Steve translating for her because the others were either laughing too hard or they were too insulted. 'I can hear some ambient noises with my hearing aid but I’ve spent my entire life in silence and I don’t need any goddamn noise. Why don’t you learn sign language, huh asshole?! Everyone in my family does. My kids will. Shit, my goddamn life is perfect just the way it fucking is and I don’t need a dickwad like you acting like some Mary Fucking Poppins. Understand? Read my lips, I don’t need saving.' Steve looked incredibly proud of Skye while Tony had gone slightly pale. No one had heard Steve utter quite that many swear words in one month before, let alone in one sitting.

Finally, Tony looked at Laura. “That’s some mouth on that soulmate of yours,” he said.

“You have no idea,” Laura said, smirking. 

“Come on,” Nat said. “We have to plan. And Skye and Laura should rest. We’ll all gather again at dinner.”

Clint slept between them that night, or rather, they lay in the dark thinking about the fact that Clint was going to be going pelting into danger again tomorrow. Skye mostly worried about the fact that she couldn’t be there to have his back. Laura worried about Skye, mostly. For Laura, she’d been through this since they were twenty-five, but she always worried about the kids, and with Skye pregnant, she worried. 

It wasn’t until after Sokovia, when Clint came home and collapsed, sobbing, into Laura’s arms that Skye let out the breath she’d been holding and she finally relaxed. Skye came up behind and he sagged between them, explaining about Pietro. Clint had brought Wanda with him, and they set her up in one of the guest rooms, but gave her her space, allowing her to mourn and heal. 

Skye sighed. She was just happy Clint was home in time for Laura to give birth. And he was retired now, it was official. He was just a family man. And that, Skye thought, was everything she needed.


End file.
